‘Hormuz will never return to pre-war state’: Iran challenges Trump’s ‘total control’ claim, draws red line | World

Even as the United States celebrates what it describes as a breakthrough in negotiations with Iran, emerging statements from Tehran suggest that the path to lasting peace may be far more complicated than Washington is projecting. US Vice President JD Vance hailed the latest round of US-Iran talks as having laid a “good foundation for a successful final deal.” But comments from Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, paint a starkly different picture particularly when it comes to the future of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.

‘Hormuz will never return to pre-war status’ 

Speaking while returning from negotiations in Switzerland, Ghalibaf declared that the Strait of Hormuz would never return to its pre-war status and would instead operate under what he described as “Iranian arrangements.”

“I was among the first to say clearly at the start of the war, everyone should know that management of the Strait of Hormuz will never return to the way it was before the war,” he said. Ghalibaf also reiterated Iran’s deep mistrust of Washington, stating bluntly that “Iran has never trusted the Americans and never will.”

The hotline agreement 

Despite the hardline rhetoric, Iran confirmed that both sides have agreed to establish a direct communication mechanism aimed at preventing incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Ghalibaf, Tehran and Washington have agreed to create a “telephone hotline and coordination centre” that vessels can contact if disputes, confusion or navigational concerns arise while transiting the strategic waterway.

“If Americans have any objection to anything, or if any vessels or ships need clarity on any route or anything, they can call,” Ghalibaf said.

He added that Iran would strictly enforce international maritime laws and move swiftly to resolve any misunderstandings.

Trump doubles down on ‘total control’ narrative

While Iran is asserting a more prominent role in managing the strait, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that Washington remains firmly in command. Addressing reporters at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said the United States has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz and credited American naval power for keeping the waterway open.

“We have total control of the Strait. We have a navy, there was a blockade, which was more effective than dropping bombs. We’re doing very well with respect to the Hormuz Strait,” Trump said. The contrasting statements expose a growing disconnect between how Tehran and Washington view the post-conflict security architecture in the Gulf. 

Roadmap to a final deal

The latest round of talks concluded on Monday with both sides agreeing on a roadmap aimed at securing a comprehensive settlement within 60 days. According to a joint statement, Tehran and Washington have committed to launching technical negotiations immediately and have established a high-level committee to oversee progress toward a final agreement.

The statement also announced the creation of a de-confliction mechanism involving Lebanon to prevent renewed military escalation and safeguard the fragile ceasefire process. Vance indicated that Washington could consider unfreezing certain Iranian assets as part of a broader effort to support trade and encourage economic engagement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later claimed that oil and petrochemical exports had been exempted from restrictions, a blockade had been lifted and some frozen assets were being released as part of a broader reconstruction and development initiative.

However, the joint statement released after the talks made no explicit mention of asset releases, leaving questions about the extent of any economic concessions still unresolved.

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